The 7 Most Common Animal Pests Wreaking Havoc in Your Garden – and How to Keep Them Out

Pests in the garden present significant challenges. It can sometimes seem like all of nature is out to get your plants. They eat, infect, and sometimes completely destroy the plants you worked so hard to grow.

Many gardeners focus on insects and the damage they can do to plants, but pest animals are some of the most common garden pests. For a healthy, thriving garden, you need to know about all the critters you’re up against and how to manage them.

Here are some common animal pests and what to do about them.

1. Deer

Let’s start with a big one. Many gardeners throughout North America deal with deer and wonder how to keep deer out of the garden. These large herbivores can get over and around a lot of barriers and will eat almost any plant material. Signs of deer on your plants include stripped bark on trees, missing buds on flowering shrubs, and ragged leaves. Damage is higher up on plants than that caused by other animals.

Physical barriers are most effective in keeping deer away from plants. However, deer-proof fences need to be seven to eight feet (2.1 to 2.4 m) tall because deer can jump. Deer Busters has plastic and metal deer fence kits that come with everything you need to keep greedy grazers out of your garden. Scare tactics, like shiny objects or motion-activated sprinklers, can be effective, but deer may lose their fear over time. Perhaps the best strategy is to grow plants that deer won’t eat. Do your research before choosing landscaping plants.

2. Rabbits

Much smaller but often very destructive is the rabbit. Rabbits are hard to keep out of the garden and are hungry herbivores. They particularly like vegetables and flowers but will sometimes eat bark, especially on dogwoods. Signs of rabbit damage include neat, 45-degree cuts on stems, ground-level damage, and missing buds.

Protect your vulnerable plants, like vegetables, from rabbits with a two-foot (0.6-m) barrier. Rabbits dig, too, so bury it at least six inches (15 cm) into the ground. Use deterrent plants around your vegetable patch. Rabbits are deterred by the smell of onions, garlic, marigolds, lavender, and catnip. You can also purchase a ready-made repellent like Liquid Fence which can be purchased from Amazon. Surprisingly, some people also have success using cat hair to deter rabbits!

3. Groundhogs

Groundhogs make burrows that create large holes in the garden, which can be both unsightly and dangerous, especially in a lawn. Groundhogs like to eat leafy greens, vegetables and roots. Look for large holes with mounds of soil next to them to identify a groundhog. The damage they cause to plants is similar to that caused by rabbits.

To keep groundhogs out of your garden, use a barrier as you would to keep rabbits out, but make the height at least 3 feet (0.9 m) tall and more than six inches deep. You can also try scare deterrents, as you would with deer, or use strong smells like predator urine or ammonia.

4. Squirrels and Chipmunks

Squirrels and chipmunks dig a lot in the garden. They especially like to dig into fresh soil, so watch anything you’ve just planted for signs of digging. They also eat seeds and bulbs. They may eat vegetables, but they are not as hungry for green plants as other animals in garden settings.

Squirrels are easily deterred from eating plants that taste spicy, so spray them with a liquid mix of cayenne pepper or other spices. You can also add cayenne powder to bird seed. It doesn’t bother birds, but squirrels hate it. When putting in new plants, pat the soil down well to prevent squirrels from identifying it as freshly turned.

5. Skunks

Skunks have a varied diet, which includes insects. If you see a lot of holes in the lawn in midsummer, it could be skunks digging for grubs. They also eat newly planted bulbs, berries, and garbage. Skunks damage plants and lawns, but they also carry rabies, so managing them is important for safety.

Keep your garden clean and garbage well contained. Garbage is a big draw for skunks. Seal off any cozy areas they might be drawn to nest, such as under decks. You can use fencing, as you would with rabbits, to keep skunks away from sensitive plants.

6. Raccoons

Raccoons leave a trail of damage similar to that of skunks. One important distinction is how they dig in the lawn. Skunks leave holes, while raccoons will dig up and roll over whole sections of turf. They also get into garbage and eat many plants.

Raccoons carry rabies, too, but not to the same extent as skunks. Still, you probably want to manage them. Use similar strategies as you would with skunks. Also, try scare tactics, but keep in mind raccoons are pretty clever and will quickly learn not to be afraid. Cleanliness and keeping garbage contained are most important. If raccoons are getting into your compost pile, try using a compost tumbler with locking doors like this dual chamber compost tumbler from Miracle-Gro on Amazon.

7. Rats

Rats can be an issue in the garden in many areas. Signs of rats include marks on plastic bins or wood where they have gnawed, small cylindrical droppings, greasy runs along walls and fences, and balls of shed fur. On plants, look for parallel marks made by their two big front teeth.

Rats can become a real infestation if you’re not careful, and they can pose health risks. If you have rats, stop feeding other wildlife. Your bird feeder could be attracting rats, too. Use a spicy birdseed like this Wild Delight Sizzle 'N' Heat bird food from Amazon. If the problem continues, stop feeding birds entirely.

Keep your entire garden tidy. Extra growth and wood piles attract rats for cover and nesting. Seal off any areas where rats could get in and nest, such as small cracks or holes in sheds.

If you have animals eating garden plants, you’ll know. They can consume a lot more than insect pests, which makes them potentially very destructive. Know your pests, how to identify the damage, and do your best to keep them out for the healthiest garden.